Speaking Precisely Can Get You Places In Business


by Tiffany Nash


If you know the proper words for any given situation you can do a better job of conveying your thoughts.

These words can be gleaned through the books and articles you read - make sure they are good ones. Just be sure that you are pronouncing the words correctly in your head so you don't say things the wrong way in public. In this case, ignorance is anything but bliss.

I remember one time when me and my wife were listening to a popular talk show when a man called in, mispronouncing a highfalutin word. The guest for that show wouldn't let up as he kept on criticizing the caller - pity the talk show host as things got out of hand. All in all, it was just an awkward moment. And you do NOT want to be embarrassed when trying to gain new business and make some sales.

Pronunciations do vary depending on your locale, so you could just say that's how it's pronounced where you're from. However, most people with at least a high school education know the few valid ways to pronounce these words.

That is why proper pronunciation can be learned by listening to people who are smart. An alternative solution would be to listen to podcasts on the Internet, or if you're a traditionalist like me, those educational cassettes are not passe by any means.

Some people who call themselves well-read tend to mispronounce words they do not actually hear. That is why I recommend Dictionary.com as the best place to listen to those wonderful new words. They have a pronunciation guide, and, if you want to Speak Precisely, you can sign up for their premium service. Learn the proper pronunciation just by clicking on the word - easy as pie!

All things considered, you should be sure that before you use a word, you should know how to pronounce it and what it means. If you ask me, I'd listen to that heavy metal nonsense any day before listening to people blather on out of context. I use a lot of big words myself, but I always make sure I know how to use them before anything else.

But then again, it might be better for you to use the shorter, simpler word if at all necessary. Don't use a big word just because you know it. If there is no better way to put it, or if it simply feels right, that's when you bring out the arsenal of big words. The average Joe's vocabulary may not be as big as yours, and if you go way over their heads, your weapons of mass wordiness would be going in one ear and out the other.

Now if you are talking with specialists in the trade, jargon can be helpful. This can save time. You might as well be speaking Greek if you try pulling off a stunt like speaking jargon outside the industry you deal with. Visit message boards specific to your industry or read their journals to learn more of the jargon that is used in your line of business.

Speaking precisely isn't that hard. It's all about proper usage of words. That knowledge will only come with experience.




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